Electric conductor



J1me 1931- I H. C..JENNISON 1,810,079

ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR Filed Oct. 1, 1924 INVENTOK A'ITO EY Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT C. JENNISON, OF BRIDGEPOR-T,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN BRASS COMPANY, OF WATERBURY,CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF CON- NECTIC'UT ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR Myinvention relates to bare or insulated cables for high voltagetransmission without substantial corona loss or for other purposesrequiring maximum diameter and surface with reduced cross section ofconducting material. My invention relates particularly to flexiblecables which are of large diameter relative to the cross sectional areaof the conducting material. The conducting material of my cable isdistributed around the outside surface so that when alternating currentsare used at frequencies which tend to concentrate the current towardsthe outside surface the conducting material is used elliciently. Theamount of heat dissipated from my conductor is greater than for aconductor of smaller diameter with equal cross-sectional area of metal.The purpose of my invention is to produce a new and improved flexiblecable which is strong, and relatively lightand in which, because of itslarge size, the corona effect is greatly reduced. A further object of myinvention is to produce a cable having a construction such that thecable can be made of larger diameter than cables heretofore used andwill have the requisite lightness, flexibility and resistance tocrushing effeet.

I attain these objects by providing at frequent intervals, by a newandsimple means,

diaphragms and alsoextended surfaces for supporting the cable conductorsor strands.

The portions which provide the extended surfaces are cylindrical so asto form curves or arches which resist crushing effect and are integralwith the diaphragms so as to insure the diaphragms being held transverseto the axis of the cable.

The following is a description of an embodiment of my invention,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 shows partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal sectiona cable embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the cable on the line 22, Fig. 1;

F ig. 3 shows in side elevation one of the cups forming one element ofthe interior supporting means;

Fig. 4 shows, partly 1n elevation and partly in longitudinal section, amodification of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show, in longitudinal sections, other modifications,the cabled conduc-- tors being indicated by dotted lines.

Referring more particularly to the draw-.

ings, 2 are a series of cup-shaped bodies having rounded bottoms 4 andslightly closed mouths 6 which bodies are arranged in line with oneanother so that the rounded end 4 of one body engages the open end 6 ofthe next adjacent body, thus forming a ball and socket joint betweenadjacent cups. ;The bodies are slightly elongated and have lonitudinally extending portions 8 so as to e kept from turning whenembodied in the cable as hereinafter described.

A series of these bodies 2 is fed to a cabling machine so that thebodies have between them the ball and socket relation above described,and copper or other round conductors 10 in the form of wires or strandsare cabled thereon so as to form a covering the shown. The closed end ofeach of .the' ele-.

ments 2 constitutes a diaphragm transverse to the axis of the cable,which acts to form a rigid support for the cabled conductors. Eachelement 2 also has a longitudinally extending portion 8 which iscylindrical so as to aline the body inthe cable and present a curved orarched shape acting to resist any crushing effect to which the cable maybe subjected. On account of the ball and socket connection between theseveral elements 2, the supporting means within the cable strands isflexible so that the cable as a whole is flexible and its flexibility isnot decreased by the presence of'the supporting means.

In some instances, it is desirable to perforate the diaphragms in thecup-shaped members, as shown in 14 in Fig. 4, and pass therethrough aconnecting wire or strand '16 of metal, hemp or other suitablesubstance, 1::

the advantage being that after the elements have been thus threadedtogether they can be more easily fed to a cabling machine than which aretelescoped one within the other so I as to form a capsule-like devicewith a diaphragm at each end. In this form the bottoms of they cups aresubstantially fiat and it is therefore advisable to space them apart alittle, and to that end I perforate the diaphragms forming the bottomsof the cups and pass therethrough a metallic wire 22, flattening thewire between each capsule as at 24 so as to hold the capsules in properspaced relation upon the wire.

In Fig. 6 the inner support is composed of elements of capsule form, theends of the capsules being provided with projections 26 at the centersof their diaphragm-forming ends which space the capsules apart.

In the form shown in Fig. 7 single flatbottom cups 28 are used which areinserted so as to be spaced apart, so that they do not interfere withbending the cable While furnishing spaced diaphragms and longitudinallysupporting surfaces extending therefrom. t

In constructing this cable the interior sup porting means may be ofcopper orany other suitable metallic or non-metallic material. When madeof metal the cups are drawn into the desired shape.

The conductors 10 and 12 which are cabled about the interior supportingmeans may also be made of any suitable metal, but I prefer hard-drawncopper and if additional tensile strength is necessary make some of thestrands of bronze or other'alloy or metal having greater tensilestrength.

When either of the connecting strands 16, 22 are employed; thediaphragms are perforated diaphragms, but the transversely ex-.

tending portions of the same will have sufficient strength in connectionwith the sides of the cup to support the cabled conductors.

so as to prevent crushing of the cable under sever conditions.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the connecting strand 16 does not interferewith the flexibility of the supporting means, or the ball and socketconnection thereof, because the diameter of the mouth forming one partof the socket is sufliciently large so that it does not contact with theconnecting strand when the cable is flexed.

The thickness of the walls and diaphragm constituting the cup can bevaried according to the resisting force desired in any particular cable.I have found, however, that in the cable such as shown in Fig. 1, havingthe diameter of one 'and one-eighth inches, 9, thickness of tenthousandths (.010) of an inch for the walls and bottom of the cup issuflicient to produce satisfactory results.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits ofvarious modifications Without departing from the spirit thereof or thescope of the appended claims. What I claim is:

1. In a conducting cable, the combination of a series of cupsconstituting a supporting means comprising a plurality of diaphragms andround contacting conductors spirally Wound about said supporting means,the several cups having on their sides longitudinally extending surfacesalining the cups within the spirally wound conductors, and adjacent endportions of adjacent cups being suitably nested so as to form-ball andsocket joints between them.

2. In a conducting cable, the combination of a series of contactingmetallic cups, having slightly closed mouths, constituting supportingmeans comprising a plurality of diaphragms, the mouth of one cup and thehot tom of the next cup engaging one another so HERBERT o. JENNISON.

